Two-Generational Strategies for Young Adult Parents

Annie E. Casey Foundation

Success for Young Adult Parents

There are 3.6 million young adult parents ages 18-24 in the U.S. Young adult parents face specific challenges when pursuing education, training, careers, child care, and health supports. They often struggle to successfully raise their children in a society that isolates and stereotypes young parents, while trying to attain education to secure a job with a livable wage. Young adult fathers also have unique issues, as most support services are targeted to mothers. Robust two-generation strategies are needed for both fathers and mothers, as well as their children. We worked with Annie E. Casey Foundation to convene researchers, advocates, and parents as an opportunity for the foundation to learn and solidify its funding approach in this area. We also conducted interviews with experts and conducted a scan of research to identify unique opportunities for developing initiatives to support young adult parents.

Two-generation strategies promote success for young parents and their children.